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Im learning George Winston's Canon. It has a lot thirds. I can Kinda of play them but they sound uneven, and strained, i guess lol. Any tips or tricks to learn thirds smoothly. I can do Hanon's Legato Thirds pretty good, but when it comes to applying it to songs it isn't working? thanks

Make sure you are using the fingering they have given you, and adapt it slightly if you need too to create smoother transitions. Look down at your hands and check your technique and where your fingers are placed on the notes...Also when going between thirds try to avoid taking your hands of the keys and almost glide in & out of the notes.

As with many other technical problems, the most important thing is to make sure your hand, wrist, and shoulders are free of tension (easier said than done). If you play with a strained mechanism, the thirds will come out uneven no matter what hand positions or fingerings you use. Even then, as Marc said above, long passages in double thirds are just damn hard.

Also, in playing double notes in general, I think it helps a great deal to keep the wrist (which shouldn't be tight) moving up and down. It's hard to explain, but this video shows it perfectly:

I know Winston's Canon. It's in C major and it's all white keys which makes it somewhat easier. The fingerings are not written on the score I have, but it's mostly standard fingerings like in Hanon (1-3, 2-4, 3-5). Figure out the fingerings first and pencil them in. Then Practice it one phrase at a time slowly and without tension as s.t.richter advised.

They advanced; they require the player to hold one note while playing the two that compromise the third. Practice them very slowly, re-relaxing the hand between each note.

When my teacher gave them to me, eons ago, I could not play thirds much at all, and when I did, it was with tension, and lots of unevenness. That exercise made such a difference; I still use it about once a week as a tune-up.

@Mark: I agree I haven't been playing to long but thirds are the hardest thing that I have encountered

@St. Richter: He's awesome, Definitive the master at thirds. I like "Chopin's etude op25 no 6" too. I couldn't imagine all those thirds . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpgjTR6p6oAI find it easier to play thirds when I move my wrist but my piano teacher says it's not the best technique, he says i should only move my fingers. I guess if it works for me then what difference does it make. Going back and forth with 2-4 and 3-5 is really hard lol. Thanks for the tips.

@Jazz: Mine has the fingering on it already thank god.

@rocket88: Thanks for the book suggestion I'll check it out. I'll be nice to put down the Hanon book and try something new for a little while

One of the best ways to even out a passage is to count it differently. Try counting 3 beats per measure, then 4 beats, then 5, 6, etc. Also, make sure you are balancing your weight over each note evenly.

Practice slowly and listen carefully to whether you are producing an even tone as you move across the keyboard. Your ears will guide you and your hands will adjust. If you do this enough your thirds will become perfect little jewels.

ChopinAddict
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Registered: 08/29/09
Posts: 6449
Loc: Land of the never-ending music

Try some technical exercises to get more confident with thirds. Most books of technical exercises have some thirds exercises and once you master them they will come much more natural and effortless to you.

_________________________

Music is my best friend.â€śHaters don't really hate you. They hate themselves because you are a reflection of what they wish to be.â€ť â€• Yaira N

Ok, thanks guys I'm playing through them a little better I still stumble on them but it's better. Keeping my hand loose and not tensed is a lot harder then I thought it would be, but I'm getting there.

"One of the best ways to even out a passage is to count it differently. Try counting 3 beats per measure, then 4 beats, then 5, 6, etc. Also, make sure you are balancing your weight over each note evenly."